Bag-full indicator mechanism

• US 6,073,432 A
• Filed: 04/30/1999
• Issued: 06/13/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mtd Products Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mtd Products Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schaedler, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzuto, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FABIAN-KOVACS, ARPAD
• Application Number:
  US09/302,627
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 56/202, 56/194, 56/203, 56/16.6, 56/199, 56/200, 56/DIG. 8, 91/454, 91/462, 91/465, 91/456, 91/448, 91/444
• US Class Current: 56/202
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 2101/00 Lawn-mowers
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/63 having cutters rotating about a vertical axis
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/64 mounted on a vehicle, e.g. a tractor, or drawn by an animal or a vehicle A01D34/695 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/69 with motor driven wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 43/0631 Control devices specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/06 fluid, i.e. using a pressurised fluid for most or all the force required for steering a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/083 Rotary valves
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/16 Expansible chamber with flexible wall
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 56/08 Air gathering

Abstract

A bag-full indicator mechanism is provided for use on a mower that has a mower deck with cutting blades, a bag for collecting cut vegetation, and a chute communicating the mower deck with the bag. The bag-full indicator mechanism includes a vacuum actuator, a vacuum for providing a vacuum to the vacuum actuator, and a sensor for sensing that the bag is full. Preferably the vacuum is the intake manifold of the mower engine. The bag-full indicator mechanism also includes activator for activating the vacuum actuator and includes a switch and a pivotable lever. Finally, an indicator is used for indicating that the bag is full and preferably includes a shutoff for stopping the rotation of the cutting blades.

Claims

1. A method of indicating that a bag is full, comprising the steps of:

providing a mower having a mower deck with cutting blades for cutting associated vegetation, a bag for collecting cut vegetation, and a chute communicating the mower deck with the bag;

providing a bag-full indicator mechanism including a vacuum actuator having a first side, a vacuum means, sensing means, activating means, indicating means having a connector link with first and second ends, a first vacuum line that communicates air between the activating means and the vacuum means, and a second vacuum line that communicates air between the activating means and the vacuum actuator;

connecting the first end of the connector link to the first side of the vacuum actuator;

filling the bag with cut vegetation;

sensing that the bag is full with the sensing means;

activating the vacuum actuator with the activating means;

moving the first side of the vacuum actuator in a first direction;

moving the connector link in the first direction; and

,

indicating that the bag is full with the indicating means.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing a membrane that covers an aperture in the chute and is selectively moveable inward and outward with respect to the chute; and

,

wherein the step of sensing that the bag is full with the sensing means, comprises the step of forcing the membrane outward from a de-activated position to an activated position.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

providing the membrane with a rigid portion and a flexible portion that surrounds the rigid portion and is operatively connected to the chute; and

,

covering the aperture fully when the membrane is moved inward and outward with respect to the chute.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing a selectively moveable membrane that covers an aperture in the chute;

providing a lever having a first end pivotably connected to biasing means that biases the lever toward the membrane when the lever is in a first position, a second end pivotably connected to a pivot member fixedly connected to the chute, and a lever extension positioned between the first and second ends of the lever;

providing switching means positioned into operative condition with respect to the second end of the lever; and

,

wherein the step of activating the vacuum actuator with the activating means, comprises the steps of;

A) forcing the membrane from a de-activated position to an activated position and into contact with the lever extension;

B) pivoting the lever about the pivot member from the first position to a second position;

C) switching the switching means; and

,

D) initiating the vacuum actuator.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

wherein the step of switching the switching means, comprises the step of communicating the vacuum actuator with the atmosphere; and

,

wherein the step of initiating the vacuum actuator, comprises the step of removing vacuum from within the vacuum actuator.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of:

biasing the lever with the biasing means away from the membrane when the lever is in the second position.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

providing the lever with a reset button; and

,

wherein after the step of indicating that the bag is full with the indicating means, the method comprises the steps of;

A) pressing the reset button thereby overcoming the biasing means;

B) forcing the lever to pivot about the pivot member from the second position to the first position;

C) contacting the membrane with the lever extension;

D) forcing the membrane from the activated position to the de-activated position.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing the mower with an engine and engine pulley;

providing the mower deck with a mower deck pulley for use in rotating the cutting blades;

providing a belt that operatively connects the engine pulley to the mower deck pulley;

providing an idler pulley operatively connected to the belt;

connecting the second end of the connector link to the idler pulley;

moving the idler pulley in the first direction;

disengaging the belt; and

,

stopping the cutting blades from cutting.

9. A method of indicating that a bag is full, comprising the steps of:

providing a mower having a mower deck with cutting blades for cutting associated vegetation, a bag for collecting cut vegetation, and a chute communicating the mower deck with the bag;

providing a membrane that covers an aperture in the chute and is selectively moveable inward and outward with respect to the chute;

providing a lever having a first end pivotably connected to biasing means that biases the lever toward the membrane when the lever is in a first position, a second end pivotably connected to a pivot member fixedly connected to the chute, and a lever extension positioned between the first and second ends of the lever;

providing switching means positioned into operative condition with respect to the second end of the lever;

providing a vacuum actuator with a first side that moves inwardly as a vacuum is established inside the vacuum actuator and that moves outwardly as a vacuum is removed from the vacuum actuator;

providing shut-off means for stopping the cutting blades from cutting;

providing a connector link having a first end operatively connected to the first side of the vacuum actuator and a second end operatively connected to the shut-off means;

filling the bag with cut vegetation;

forcing the membrane outward with respect to the chute from a de-activated position to an activated position and into contact with the lever extension;

pivoting the lever about the pivot member from the first position to a second position;

switching the switching means;

communicating the vacuum actuator with the atmosphere;

removing vacuum from within the vacuum actuator;

moving the first side of the vacuum actuator in a first direction;

moving the connector link in the first direction; and

,

stopping the cutting blades from cutting.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

providing the lever with a reset button;

wherein after the step of stopping the cutting blades from cutting, the method comprises the steps of;

A) biasing the lever with the biasing means away from the membrane when the lever is in the second position;

B) pressing the reset button thereby overcoming the biasing means;

C) forcing the lever to pivot about the pivot member from the second position to the first position;

D) contacting the membrane with the lever extension;

E) forcing the membrane from the activated position to the de-activated position.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the steps of:

providing the mower with an engine and engine pulley;

providing the mower deck with a mower deck pulley for use in rotating the cutting blades;

providing a belt that operatively connects the engine pulley to the mower deck pulley;

providing an idler pulley operatively connected to the belt;

connecting the second end of the connector link to the idler pulley; and

,

wherein the step of stopping the cutting blades from cutting, comprises the steps of;

A) moving the idler pulley in the first direction; and

,

B) disengaging the belt.